New for 2025, discover our Food Technology Focus Weekends at the Château du Molay in the Normandy countryside.
These subject-focus weekends are designed to give your students exposure to the local food industry with a focus on locally sourced foods, how local food businesses promote sustainability and a Q&A with an industry professional.
Highlights
- Talk and Q&A with the Head Chef of the Château
- French market assignment
- Three-course French dinner experience
- Insight into the fishing industry and local sustainable practices
Price:
From £389 per person*
Based on a group size of
35 students and 4 free adults
*Price valid for select weekend dates, please contact us to learn more.
What to expect?
Owned by Travelbound, the Château du Molay is an integrated part of the local community, offering an authentic French experience to school groups.
Our strong relationships with local producers mean that we know the best places to give students on a food technology school trip to Normandy a personal look at the area’s rich culinary heritage. Whether it’s a goat’s cheese farm, a snail farm or a cider workshop (with apple juice for the kids!), you’ll always get a warm welcome and a great experience.
Itinerary
- Travel from your UK school to the Château du Molay
- Optional short stop in the port town of Honfleur
- Arrive at the Château and enjoy a warm welcome from the on-site staff
- Dinner at the Château with crêpes and local apple juice for dessert prepared specially for your group in our on-site restaurant
Morning
- Breakfast at the Château
- French Market Assignment at Bayeux Market: Students are split into small groups and given €5 per person instead of lunch. They are tasked with buying ingredients and preparing their own lunch from scratch according to a brief given by the Château Head Chef.
- Either return to the Château to eat lunches or stay in Bayeux for some souvenir shopping or a visit to the Cathedral.
Afternoon
- Port visit with a local guide: Insight into the fishing industry and local sustainable practices on a port visit with a local guide.
- On return to the Château, take part in one of our brand new on-site activities with a dedicated instructor.
Evening
- Dinner at the Château
- After-dinner talk and Q&A with the Château Head Chef: What their job involves, careers in the food industry, challenges and rewards of a career in food etc.
- Evening activity run by Château staff
Morning
- Breakfast at the Château and prepare packed lunches
- Goat’s Cheese Farm: Visit to a working farm for a talk about the cheese-making process, a tour of the farm with the chance to interact with the goats, and a tasting of some of the cheese produced on-site.
- Cider and Apple Juice Farm: This local producer welcomes visitors, offering a guided cellar tour, explanation of the apple juice and cider-making process, and apple juice tastings.
Afternoon
- Escargots de l’Odon Snail Farm: A must-do for any visitor to Normandy with a sense of adventure and appetite for local delicacies, a trip to the Odon Snail Farm offers an opportunity to discover the uniquely French tradition of snail farming from field to fork.
Evening
- French Dinner Experience at the Château: Your group will experience a French-themed farewell dinner with delicious local produce including snails, moules, cheese board, and typical French main and dessert.
- Evening activity run by Château staff
- Breakfast at the Château and prepare packed lunches
- Check out and depart Château
- Stop off at a local Hypermarket or Graindorge Cheese Factory en-route to the port
- Travel home to the UK
What's Included?
- Travel by British coach
- Full-board accommodation
- 1 free teacher place per 10 students
- Return Channel crossing
- Travel insurance
- 24/7 support during the trip
Your accommodation: the Château du Molay
Our exclusive 18th-century Château du Molay can accommodate 195 guests in 42 en-suite bedrooms and is set amongst 38 acres of beautiful private parkland.
Located only 14 kms from Bayeux, within easy reach of the world-famous Calvados coast and just a 45-minute journey from Caen, the Château is in an ideal location for school groups coming from the UK.
Learning Outcomes
Subject Focus
Students can:
- Study local methods of farming and food production
- Discover typical French cuisine
- Learn about regional culinary variations
- Learn about the production of a range of local ingredients
Student Outcomes
Students will have had the opportunity to:
- Gain an appreciation of French cooking styles
- Develop interest and enthusiasm for the country, its culture and its language
- Discover the heritage and importance of the region’s food culture
- Test and challenge their own abilities
Interested in our Food Technology Weekends?
To find out more about our Food Technology Focus Weekends or to request a quote, please call our friendly team on 01273 244572 or fill in the quick form below.